The Sith Empire's conquest of Taris, a planet with weak defenses, occurred during the concluding years of the Jedi Civil War. This capture involved the Sith ousting the Galactic Republic-aligned administration and establishing their own rule. A governor then managed the world from a military base situated within the Upper City, which was used as their headquarters.
The Sith occupation brought about shifts in Taris' culture. For instance, they prohibited death matches within the Taris dueling ring, a combat arena located in a cantina. Additionally, they deployed protocol droids across the Upper City to provide assistance to both inhabitants and visitors, according to the Sith's terms. The occupying forces also severely restricted movement from the Upper City to the Lower City, mandating permits or official documentation. Furthermore, entry to the Undercity was only possible with specific authorization or through clandestine routes controlled by gang elements.
After the attack on the Endar Spire, Jedi Knight Bastila Shan, along with soldiers Revan and Carth Onasi, fled to the surface of Taris using an escape pod. Darth Malak, frustrated by his failure to capture Shan, gave the order for the destruction of Taris through orbital bombardment, aiming to eliminate the Jedi target. Despite the presence of the Sith government and military forces on the planet, the bombardment was carried out successfully.